American government

American government

This category is for all terms related to American government and politics.

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American government

Judicial review

Government; American government

Doctrine that permits the federal courts to declare unconstitutional, and thus null and void, acts of the Congress, the executive, and the states. The precedent for judicial review was established in ...

Representative democracy

Government; American government

Form of government in which power is held by the people and exercised indirectly through elected representatives who make decisions.

Civil liberties

Government; American government

Areas of personal freedom with which governments are constrained from interfering.

Cheques and balances

Government; American government

Constitutional mechanisms that authorise each branch of government to share powers with the other branches and thereby cheque their activities. For example, the president may veto legislation passed ...

Measure

Government; American government

Term embracing bill, resolution and other matters on which the Senate takes action.

Freedom of conscience

Government; American government

Freedom of belief. Many consider freedom of conscience an absolute right, one that has no limitations.

Roll call vote

Government; American government

A vote in which each Senator votes "yea" or "nay" as his or her name is called by the Clerk, so that the names of Senators voting on each side are recorded. Under the Constitution, a roll call vote ...